Bharat Jodo Yatra: Mallikarjun Kharge Writes To Amit Shah To Ensure Adequate Security After 'Lapse' In J&K

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Amit Shah to ensure adequate security during the Bharat Jodo Yatra's Kashmir leg following a 'security lapse' on Friday.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Amit Shah to ensure adequate security during the Bharat Jodo Yatra's Kashmir leg following a 'security lapse' on Friday.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention in ensuring adequate security for the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir following a 'security lapse' on Friday which led to the suspension of the yatra for the afternoon. 

The Congress had alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir Police had withdrawn security around its leader Rahul Gandhi in the wake of surging crowds during the foot march in Qazigund.

Kharge apprised Amit Shah of the details of the Yatra over the next two days and requested him to personally intervene in the matter and ensure adequate security. He said he was writing to Shah after the 'unfortunate security lapse.  He wrote, "We are expecting a huge gathering to join the yatra over the next two days and also the function that will be held on 30th January at Srinagar. Many senior Congress leaders and leaders of other important political parties are attending the culmination function to be held on the 30th of January."

"I shall be grateful if you could personally intervene in this matter and advise the concerned officials to provide adequate security till the culmination of the yatra and the function on the 30th January at Srinagar," the Congress president said in his letter to the home minister.

Kharge said the yatra had to be suspended on the advice of the security officials in charge of the security detail of Rahul Gandhi.

"We appreciate the Jammu and Kashmir Police and welcome their statement saying they will continue to ensure complete security till the culmination of the journey," he said.

He also said, "You will appreciate the fact that a large crowd of common people has joined and walked in the Bharat Jodo Yatra every day. It is difficult for the organisers to tell exactly how many people are expected over the day as it is a spontaneous gesture of the common people to join the yatra."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the police arrangement "completely collapsed" amid the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu-Kashmir leading to him cancelling his part of the foot march, as advised by his security personnel.

"This morning we had quite a large crowd that gathered. Unfortunately, the police arrangement completely collapsed and police people who were supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen. My security people were very uncomfortable with me walking further on the yatra so I had to cancel my yatra. The other yatris did the walk," he said, addressing a press conference briefly. 

"I think it's important that the Police manage the crowd so that we can do the yatra. It's very difficult for me to go against what my security people are recommending," the former Congress president added.

Rahul said it is the administration's responsibility to ensure that police do their duty and control the crowd. "I don't know why this happened, but this should not happen tomorrow and the day after," he added.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Gandhi started in Kanyakumari on September 7 and will culminate on January 30 in Srinagar after traversing through 12 states.

The 3500-km foot march is aimed at galvanising the Congress cadres across the country, but the party is claiming that the Yatra is not political and seeks to unite India in the wake of growing "hatred".

Sharing his letter to Shah, the Congress chief said on Twitter, "Security lapse during Bharat Jodo Yatra led to its suspension yesterday, after Rahul Gandhi's security detail suggested same." "We are expecting a huge gathering, including leaders of important political parties at its culmination," he said.

Kharge had earlier said that the alleged lapse in Gandhi's security detail in J and K during the Yatra was disconcerting to say the least.

“It is government of India's prime responsibility to provide security. India has already lost two PM's and scores of leaders and we demand better security for the Yatris," he said on Twitter.